Apparatus for lifting and displacing railroad rails and frogs



Dec. 18, 1951 1 BlASE 2,578,969

APPARATUS FOR LIFTING AND DISPLACING RAILROAD RAILS AND FROGS Fild NOV.22, 1950 2 SHEETS-SI'IEET l 4172507110 B-Bz'ase byyM W Dec. 18, 1951 ADI. BIASE 2,578,969

APPARATUS FOR LIFTING AND DISPLACING RAILROAD RAILS AND FROGS Filed Nov.22, 1950 2 SHEETS-SI-IEET 2 Patented Dec. 18, 1951 APPARATUS FOR LIFTINGAND DISPLACING RAILROAD RAILS AND FROGS Antonio Di Biase, Duncannon, Pa.

Application November 22, 1950, Serial No. 197,150

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel apparatus of relatively simpleconstruction for lifting and displacing, railroad rails and frogs intodesired positions in connection with maintenance work of railroads andis primarily intended to save manual labor normally required in suchoperations and to minimize the need for manually lifting and movingheavy railroad rails and frogs.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apneumatically operated lifting apparatus having skid means whereby arail or frog supported thereon may be elevated and caused to slide bygravity into a desired position relatively to railroad tracks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable apparatus ofextremely simple construction capable of being moved to any desiredlocation for use in railroad maintenance work and which may be easilyoperated manually for supplying air pressure to pneumatic lifting meansof the apparatus for accomplishing the lifting and displacing of therails or frogs.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whichis so constructed that it can be connected to and will function with arailroad rail which is secured to railroad ties and for lifting anddisplacing a rail or frog over said rail.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the apparatus in an operativeposition;

Figure 2 is aside elevational view thereof on a reduced scale;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 4 is a front elevatlonal view thereof, taken substantially alonga plane as indicated by the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong a plane as indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 3 and on anenlarged scale;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view partly in vertical section, and

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

, Referring more specifically to the drawings, the frog or rail liftingand displacing devicein its entirety is designated generally I0 anincludes an arch-shaped supporting frame, designated generally I I,composed of corresponding arch-shaped sections I2 and I3 each of angularcross section and each including a straight horizontally disposed topportion I I and a pair of corresponding depending legs I5 which extenddownwardly from the ends of the top portion I4 in diverging relationshipto one another. The lower ends of the complementary legs I5 of thesections I2 and I3 are secured to a plate I6, which plates formfoot'members adapted to rest upon the ground and additionally functionfor supporting the legs I5 in spaced relationship to one another. Thelegs I5 at each of the frame II are also connected adjacent their upperends by a rigid sleeve H, for a purpose which will hereinafter becomeapparent. The two top portions I4 are connected adjacent their ends byplates I8 which combine with the tubes I1 and base plate I6 to maintainthe sections I2 and I3 in spaced substantiallyparallel relationship toprovide a slot I9 between the complementary legs I5 of the two sectionsand a slot 20 between the top portions I l. The foot member I6, sleeveI! and plates I8 may be permanently secured in any suitable manner as bywelding, as indicated at 2|, to the sections I2 and I3. The frame IIalso includes a brace leg 22, preferably formed of inverted channel ironthe upper end of which is secured in any suitable manner as by weldingto the intermediate part-of the upper portion of the arch and the lowerend of which has a foot member 23 secured thereto and disposed at anoblique angle to the axis of the leg 22 so as to rest flush upon theground, since said leg 22 is disposed at an oblique angle to ahorizontal plane and extends downwardly and rearwardly from the archportion of the frame, to combine with the legs I5 and foot members I 6to form a tripod support. The frame II is likewise provided With a shelf24 having an inner end secured to the intermediate portion of the archand the upper end of the leg 22 in any suitable manner. The shelf 24projects rear- Wardly from the upper portion of the arch over the leg 22and is supported substantially in a horizontal plane and atapproximately the level of the top of the frame II by a brace 25 whichextends between and is secured to the outer rear end of the shelf 24 andthe lower portion of the brace leg 22.

A pair of angular bearing members 26 is secured to each of the plates I8in longitudinal alignment relative to the frame and intermediate thering members 27 above the plates I3 for a limited rocking motionrelative to'the frame As best illustrated in Figure 5, a socket 29 ofcircular shape is loosely disposed in each ring member 21 and hasaligned trunnions 30 projecting outwardly from diametrically oppositeportions thereof which are journaled in openings 3| which extendradially through each ring member 21 and which openings 3| are disposedat right angles to the trunnions 28 so that the socket 29 may rock withthe ring 21 in which it is mounted and relatively thereto at a rightangle to the direction of rocking motion of the ring member. Each socket29 is provided with an internally threaded upwardly opening recess 32 toreceive therein the lower externally threaded end of a cylinder 33 theupper end of which is likewise externally threaded to receive aninternally threaded cap 34. A piston 35 is slidably disposed in eachcylinder 33 and has a piston rod 35 which extends downwardly therefromslidably through astufling box 31 in the bottom of the socket 29 andloosely through a relatively large opening 38 in the plate I8.

A block 39 is secured to the lower end of each piston rod 36 and has adouble headed fastening 40 extending therethrough and loosely through apair of links 4| for pivotally connecting the links 4| to the block 39and piston rod 36. A cross beam 42 is disposed parallel to the framesections I2 and I3 and has spaced'portions disposed loosely in the slotsl9 between the legs l5. The intermediate portion of the cross beam 42 ispreferably reinforced by a channel member 43. Thelinks 4| extenddownwardly from the blocks 39 and have their lower ends straddling thecross beam 42 and channel member 43 and the links of each block 35 areconnected to the cross beam 42 by a double headed fastening 44 whichextends through the cross beam 42 and the channel member 43 and whichloosely engages the lower ends of the links 4| and swingably supportsthe cross beam 52 beneath the blocks 39. A hook, designated generally45, is pivotally connected to the cross beam 42, one adjacent each endthereof and outwardly of the legs |5, each of said hooks 45 including anangular shank portion including a leg 45 which is pivoted adjacent itsterminal by a pivot pin 41 to a side of the cross beam 42 and which leg45 extends from the pivot 41 in a direction away from the frame Theother depending leg 48 of the hook shank terminates at its lower, freeend in an inwardly by a pivot 54 to an angular end of a link 55 theopposite end of which is pivotally connected to a lever 56. The lever 56of each pump 50 is pivotally mounted above its pump cylinder 5| by abracket 51 which straddles the pump cylinder adjacent its inner end. Thelinks 55 are adapted to be adjustably connected to the levers 56 bypivot pins 58 thereof which selectively engage longitudinally spacedopenings 59 in the levers 56. The levers 56 are adapted to be manuallyengaged at their upper free ends and swung longitudinally of the pumpcylinders to reciprocate the pump rods 53 and pistons 52 for expellingair in a conventional manner from the inner ends of the pump cylindersthrough conduits 60, each including a flexible section 60a. While oneform r of pump 50 has been disclosed, it will be underextending hookportion 39, as best=illustrated in 7 Figures 1 and l.

A pair of hand operated pneumatic pumps, each designated generally 55,is supported on the shelf 24 and longitudinally thereof, each of saidpumps 50 preferably including a pump cylinder 5| which is suitably fixedto the upper surface of the shelf 24. Each cylinder 5| contains a pumpplunger or piston 52 which is slidably mounted therein and which isconnected to a piston rod 53 which extends reciprocably through theouter end of the pump cylinder 5| and which is pivotally connected atits exposed outer end stood that any conventional type of air pump 7such as a tire pump may be utilized. 7 As seen in Figure 8, each socket29 is provided with a passage 6| having an inlet end 62 to which an endof one of the conduits 63 is connected and into which said conduit endopens. A check valve 53 provided with a spring 64 for normally retainingit in a closed position, permits air to enter the passage 3| through itsinlet 62 but prevents the escape of air therefrom. The opposite end ofthe passage 6| opens into the bottom of the threaded socket 32 below thepiston 35 thereof.

The caps 34 of the two cylinders 33 are connected by a conduit 65 havinga downwardly oifset intermediate portion which is disposed between thelower portions of the cylinders 33 and which includes an outlet branchpipe 66 provided with a check valve 37 adapted to open at a'prescribedpressure to release compressed air from the conduit 65. Each verticalleg of the conduit 55 includes a flexible portion 53 to permit thecylinders 33 to have a universal rocking movement relatively to oneanother, as permitted by the bearings 26 and trunnions 23 and thebearings 3| and trunnions 35. The apparatus H] also includes a pair ofskids 59 each of which is preferably 'formed from a short length ofrailroad rail having an end provided with longitudinally spaceddepending bars '53 adapted to loosely straddle the head of a, section ofa railroad rail l I, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, which is secured ina fixed position in a conventional manner on a number of railroad ties12 which are in turn supported on a roadbed 13. The skids 69 extendlaterally away from the rail 1| in a direction outwardly of the roadbedl3 and are adapted to straddle the frame legs l5. The bills or hookportions 49 of the hooks l5 engage under the head portions of theskids59 and on the outer sides of said skids so that-as the ends of the skids59 located remote to the rail H are elevated the weight thereof willdraw the hooks 45 into tighter gripping engagement with the skid heads.I

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the frame ll may be set upin position as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 at one side of a railroadroadbed and with the skids 69 pivotally engaging the head of theadjacent rail H by means of the bars lll thereof. The hooks 45 are thenengaged with the skids 39. A railroad frog or rail M is then positionedon the skids 69 and crosswise thereof, adjacent the lower ends of theskids which are disposed adjacent the cross beam 42. By then manuallyoperating the pump levers 56, air may be pumped into the lower ends ofjack cylinders 33' so that this air pressure will force the jack pistons35 upwardly to elevate the ends of the skids, engaged by the hooks 45,to above the level of the opposite ends of the skids 69 which arepivotally connected to the rail H, as seen in dotted lines in Figure 2,so that the rail or frog M to be positioned on the ties 12 or roadbed 13to the right of the rail II, as seen in Figures 2 and 3, may then slidedown the skids 69 over the rail "ii and onto the tie 72 between saidrail H and the rail, not shown, disposed to the right thereof, thuseliminating a large part of the manual labor normally required inlifting and displacing a rail section or frog 14 into position between apair of railroad rails. As the pistons 35 are moved upwardly by the airpressure therebelow, air in the cylinders 33 above the pistons canescape through the conduit 65 and its blow off valve 61'. The pistons 35have sufficient clearance within the cylinders 33 so that air may escapeupwardly past said pistons, but this air escape is insuflicient tomaterially affect the ele vation of the pistons to raise the skids 69from their full line to their dotted line positions of Figure 2 sincethe air will be pumped into the lower ends of the cylinders much morerapidly then it can escape past the pistons. However, after the frog orrail section 14 slides off of the skids 69 if the pump levers 58 are nolonger operated, the weight of the skids 69 and cross beam 42 will urgethe pistons 35 downwardly as the air escapes past the pistons to theupper parts of the cylinders 33 so that the device will return to itsfull line position of Figure 2 and its position of Figure Iautomatically after discharging a frog or rail section 14 therefrom andin a sufficiently short time so that it will be available to receiveanother frog or rail section on the lower end of the skids 69. Theuniversal rocking movement of the cylinders 33 as previously described,prevents injury to the piston rods in the event of any swinging movementof the cross beam or skids and to accommodate the slight arcuatemovement of the cross beam as it is elevated.

The cylinder caps 34 may be provided each with a lubricating fitting 15.For lifting and moving the apparatus 10, a rod 16 is removably insertedthrough each sleeve I? so that the apparatus may be conveniently liftedand moved by one man grasping each end of each rod I6.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventionas hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for lifting and displacing railroad rails and frogscomprising a tripod supporting frame, lifting jacks supported on andrising from said frame each including a slidably mounted piston, apiston rod extending downwardly from each piston, a cross beam pivotallysupported by and suspended beneath the lower ends of the piston rods, apair of hooks pivotally connected to the cross beam, one adjacent eachend thereof having inwardly and upwarding extending bill portions spacedoutwardly with respect to the hook pivots, a pair of skid members havingmeans at corresponding ends thereof adapted to loosely engage the headof a railroad rail for pivotally mounting said skid ends on the railroadrail, each of said skids having a head portion, and said hooksdetachably engaging under the head portions of the skids adjacent theopposite ends thereof, and means for supplying air under pressure to thelifting jacks below the pistons thereof to elevate the pistons, pistonrods, cross beam and the last mentioned ends of the skids to positionthe last mentioned skid ends above the ends of the skids engaging therailroad rail whereby a section of railroad rail or a frog disposed onthe skids will slide down said inclined skids over the railroad rail.

2. A device as in claim 1, and means providing a universal support forthe lower ends of the jack cylinders above the frame for rockingmovement of the jack cylinders and piston rods relatively to the frame.

3. A device as in claim 1, said frame including slotted legs in whichsaid cross beam is loosely disposed and by which the cross beam isguided in its vertical movement relatively to the frame.

4. A device as in claim 1, a conduit communicating with and connectingthe upper ends of the jack cylinders including flexible sections, and ablow off valve connected to said conduit for releasing air from thecylinders above the pistons.

5. A device as in claim 1, said means for supplying air under pressureto the jack cylinders comprising a pair of manually operated pneumaticpumps and a flexible conduit connecting each of the pumps to one of thejack cylinders.

6. A device as in claim 1, each of said jack cylinders having a pair oftrunnions at the lower end thereof, a ring member in which the lower endof the jack cylinder is loosely disposed having bearings in which thejack cylinder trunnions are journaled, a pair of bearings fixed to andrising from the frame between which each of the ring members isdisposed, and each ring member having a pair of trunnions journaled inthe pair of bearings at a right angle to the trunnions of the jackcylinder whereby each jack cylinder is supported for rocking movement ina plurality of directions relatively to the frame.

7. A lifting and displacing device for railroad rails and frogscomprising a pair of skid members each having an end adapted to bedisposed over a fixed railroad rail provided with depending portionsloosely straddling the rail head for pivotally mounting the skidsthereon, a supporting frame disposed between the opposite, free ends ofthe skids, a pair of pneumatic jacks, means for supporting saidpneumatic jacks on the frame for universal rocking movement relativelythereto, each of said jacks having a reciprocating piston provided with2, depending piston rod extending downwardly through the frame, a crossbeam loosely mounted in and guided by said frame, means pivotallysuspending the cross beam from the lower ends of said piston rods, hookspivotally connected to the cross beam and detachably engaging the lastmentioned ends of the skids, and manually actuated means for supplyingair under pressure to the lower ends of the jack cylinders beneath thepistons thereof for elevating the pistons in the jack cylinders to raisethe last mentioned ends of said skids to cause a rail section or frogsupported. thereon to slide by gravity down the skids away from theframe over said rail and the first mentioned ends of the skids engagedthereby.

ANTONIO DI BIASE.

No references cited.

